(I) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a new and improved article of manufacture in the nature of a portable and collapsible enclosure for infants or young children: in short, what is colloquially termed a "playpen".
Depending upon the age and size of the person to be accommodated therein, the product of the invention might also be termed a "play-yard", that is, a framed enclosure made for the purpose of containing (without unduly restraining) a child until the child attains a height in the order of about thirty-four inches (864 mm) or a weight of about 30 pounds (13.6 kg) more or less.
An important object of the invention is to provide thereby a readily collapsible and portable means for maintaining the child safely within a predetermined limited space, such as to be close to or adjacent the child's parent or other person responsible for the child's safety. The present playpen is also suitable for back-packing, and for use on the beach, or while traveling. With a conventional "tie-down" the playpen may be placed on a bed and, thus, used as a crib. It can be easily stored in a relatively small space, and readily packed for travelling.
(II) Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 3,206,773 to Sarasin and U.S. Pat. No. 3,339,213 to Spencer disclose foldable playpens for infants' use which are generally rectangular in shape. The Cone U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,454 is illustrative of a portable playpen having a generally hexagonal contour.
In the patent to Moss, U.S. Pat. No. 4,236,543, a portable tent is the subject. This tent includes a flexible covering having two substantially similar side walls. In addition two resiliently flexible poles are held flexed by such side walls so that the side walls are thereby held under tension or tense thereby shaping and supporting the tent. In this way the tent is rendered stable or free-standing. The article further includes a flared top portion which is closed by netting or similar material so as to permit ventilation of the tent and to permit viewing of the outside topography by anyone occupying the tent.